


Family

by chartreuseblueandyellow



Category: The Blacklist (US TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23625793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chartreuseblueandyellow/pseuds/chartreuseblueandyellow
Summary: I always love mundane family moments and really felt that there could've been one after Agnes’ ballet scene (7x12). I’m also a huge Keenler shipper so this is how I think that scene could’ve gone. Enjoy!
Relationships: Elizabeth Keen & Donald Ressler, Elizabeth Keen/Donald Ressler
Comments: 10
Kudos: 105





	Family

Elizabeth Keen had arrived early to the hall, partly because because Agnes had been worried they'd be late and miss the whole performance (she'd been late to a few things but not THAT late), and partly because she decided that Agnes’ ballet teachers could deal with her currently hyper-energetic and excited child instead of her. 

She'd sat down in the front row, chatting with a few of the other parents and after a while the rest of the crowd started piling in. She looked around to see if Ressler, Aram and Cooper had arrived but it was only some time later she could hear Aram’s voice over the crowd, worried if they'd be able to find seats with a good enough view to take photos. Keen smiled and waved at her colleagues (though honestly at this point they were her family too). Ressler grinned at her and Aram and Cooper waved back. 

Unfortunately the seats next to her were taken but the row behind her wasn't and the three of them sat there. She leaned back saying hi to them and asking if they found the place ok. They did and Cooper laughed while shaking his head.  
“When I arrived, Aram was waiting for us and the first thing he asked was if I liked the bouquet he had chosen for Agnes. He was worried it wouldn't be good enough for her.”  
“Hey, only the best for the lilac fairy!”  
Ressler shook his head at him before looking at her. “How's the munchkin? Excited? Nervous?”  
Keen chuckled. “She was so worried we were gonna be late that we ended up arriving almost an hour early.”  
Ressler laughed. “Knowing you Keen, that is a possibility.”  
She feigned outrage and lightly punched him in the arm while Cooper chuckled. “Ressler has a point Keen. It's not uncommon for you to be late to work, even before Agnes.”  
Before she could defend herself, the introduction started and she glared at the still laughing Ressler before turning round to face the stage. 

The show started and when Agnes came on she sat forward in her seat, hands clasped and the biggest grin on her face. Agnes was amazing and beyond adorable, and when her part ended she stood up clapping. Hearing Aram whistling, she turned to face her family who were also giving a standing ovation. “You guys!”  
Cooper grinned proudly. “That was a great show, she was adorable!  
“Right? Wasn't it so cute?”  
Aram sincerely nodded. “Oh my god. The cutest.”  
Grinning, Ressler said, “she managed to be more adorable in tights than me,” and grinning at him, Keen gave him a ‘what can you do?’ look. 

Seeing Agnes running towards her, Keen dropped to her knees and engulfed her daughter in a huge hug. “You were absolutely AMAZING honey! You were SO good!”  
Agnes giggled in her arms at her enthusiasm and turned around to face the rest of the party who were also showering her with compliments. 

Aram kneeled in front of her as well and handed her the carefully picked out bouquet. “You were absolutely amazing up there oh lilac fairy.”  
Keen couldn't help but smile as Agnes accepted the flowers and threw her arms around Aram, giving him a big hug. Cooper congratulated her as well and Agnes thanked him too with a large grin. With the large bouquet still clutched in one arm, she turned and happily exclaimed, “Resswr!”  
Giving her an equally large grin he picked her up and she threw her arm around his neck. Hugging her tightly back he said, “you were absolutely amazing sweetheart.”  
Agnes, perfectly comfortable in his arms, looked at him with a cheeky grin (which Ressler thought she most definitely got from her mother).  
“Mommy said you were a dancewr too and that you even wore tights!”  
He glanced at Keen, an eyebrow raised, then back to Agnes. “She did, did she?”  
“Uh huh. Are you good at it?”  
“I think I'm very good.” He smiled and poked her side. “Though I think you might be better than me.”  
Keen laughed at his reply and Agnes giggled in delight.  
Seeing Red near the stage she excused herself to go talk to him, letting Agnes interrogate Ressler about his dance days, much to the delight of Aram and Cooper. 

After talking to Red about how they both deserved a good life, she returned to the others where Ressler saw her coming and gave her a smile.  
“Our fairy has informed us that she feels like eating waffles.”  
Keen gave Agnes a kiss on the cheek and smiled. “Well how can I say no to a fairy’s request?”  
Agnes squealed with excitement and jumped from Ressler's arms to hers. She asked the others to join and Agnes did too. Ressler and Aram happily obliged but Cooper had commitments, so after his goodbyes and a final compliment to Agnes, he left. 

They made their way to a nearby diner and two plates of waffles (one for Aram) and two plates of burgers and fries were promptly ordered.  
Keen and Agnes sat on one side of the booth while Aram and Ressler on the other. The three adults gushed about the performance again and the girl of the hour giggled over the attention. 

Their food arrived before long and both Agnes’ and Aram's eyes widened at their piles of waffles with all the toppings. Ressler caught Keen’s eyes and they both stifled a laugh.  
She looked fondly at Aram. “Those waffles seem pretty exciting huh?”  
He grabbed his knife and fork, surveying where to start. “Yeah, who doesn't love waffles -” he looked up at Agnes (who had an equally excited look) “- right?” She happily agreed and they both started eating with gusto. 

There wasn't much talking after that, everyone was pretty hungry and engrossed in their food. After a surprisingly short amount of time, Aram took his last bite and leaned back with a satisfied sigh, only to sit back up and check his phone as it pinged.  
He read the text and sheepishly looked up at them. “Um, Elody said she's free right now so I think, um, I'm going to leave.”  
Keen and Ressler shared a look but said their goodbyes and, with a final hug for Agnes, he left. Ressler glanced over at Agnes who was still happily working on her plate of waffles then back to Keen.  
“So, what do you think of the Aram and Elody situation?”  
She swallowed her last bite before replying. “Aram is happy, and after Samar, I think it's good. I know obviously there's other factors involved with their relationship but I'm happy for him.”  
Seeing Ressler make a face however, she spoke up again. “Obviously you don't feel the same though.”  
He leaned back and looked at her. “Obviously I'm happy that he's happy, especially after the whole Samar situation, like you said, but if I was in the same uh -” he scratched the back of his head, “- the same hypothetical situation where the woman I liked was married, I would never put her in the position where she had to have an affair. No matter the circumstances. It'd be a disrespect to her.”

Keen slowly let out a fond smile and Ressler raised an eyebrow.  
‘I know you wouldn't Ress. Like I've said before you're the most honest person I know.”  
He gave her a fond grin at the memory as she returned the look, only to focus on Agnes when she announced she couldn't eat anymore. Keen gave a light sigh before pulling the plate towards herself.  
“You okay Keen?”  
“I'm pretty full but I can't let this go to waste.”  
He looked at the large waffle left then back at her with a smile. “I'm pretty full too, but I think I could manage a bit of desert.”  
She gave him a grateful smile and after asking for another fork they both dug in. They finished it off in relative silence, comfortable enough in each other's presence to not feel the need to fill it. 

Agnes had gone quiet and was ready to fall asleep from all the excitement of the day. Keen lightly shook her shoulder.  
“Agnes? Hey honey c’mon let's go before you fall asleep here.”  
Agnes mumbled that she didn't want to walk to the car and Keen was about to insist when Ressler spoke up. “Hey Liz it's ok. I can pick her up if you want?”  
She gave him a grateful smile and he lifted Agnes into his arms. Keen couldn't help but smile as her daughter snuggled deeper into Ressler’s arms and the fond smile that came over her partner's face because of it.  
She picked up the bouquet from the table while saying, “I'll just go pay and then we can leave.” Ressler started to offer to pay instead but she put her hand on his arm. “It's on me.” He saw the sincerity in her eyes and and agreed, and after paying they made their way towards their cars. 

Sleepily Agnes asked, “Resswr? Do you have any videos of you dancing?”  
While gently rubbing her back he chuckled. “Yeah, I think I do honey.”  
Keen's eyes widened. “And you haven't shown us yet?! I've got to see this!”  
He chuckled at her reaction and said, “not now, maybe sometime Keen.”  
Then with a smirk he added, “I don't want you swooning over seeing me in tights when you have to drive home.”  
She scoffed at that but couldn't help but swoon slightly on the inside at the wink he gave her (maybe he was right about seeing him in tights). She unlocked her car door and Ressler helped Agnes into her seat.  
Keen couldn't help the slight fluttering of her heart as Ressler lightly kissed her daughter on the forehead and quietly whispered, “you were absolutely amazing today sweetheart.”  
Agnes gave him a sleepy hug and after returning it he closed the door and faced Keen. “Well she's going to be knocked out.”  
Keen laughed. “Yup. And I'm sure it's going to be a struggle to get her up for school tomorrow.”  
There was a slight pause and Ressler spoke up. “Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow Keen.”  
She nodded and then (before thinking too much about it) reached out and lightly squeezed Ressler’s hand.  
“Thanks for coming, Ress. It means a lot to Agnes, and to me.”  
A slow smile spread across his face and he put his free hand over hers. “Of course Liz. Anything for you and the munchkin.”  
They stood like that for a few seconds longer before saying their goodbyes and Keen got into her car as Ressler walked towards his. 

What they didn't know, as they drove away, was that both were thinking about how they deserved a good life for themselves and how necessary the other was for that.


End file.
